For many of our personnel, being able to participate in an overseas training exercise is a key milestone that is met with anticipation and excitement. These exercises are an excellent platform for them to put their skills and competencies to the ultimate test, and also allows them to have a closer look at the operations conducted by other RSAF squadrons and units.

It is no different for CPT Gwendolyn Chen and CPT Valampurithavan, F-16 and F-15SG pilots respectively, who are at the ongoing Exercise Cope Tiger (XCT 23) for the very first time! We managed to catch up with them in between their busy flying schedule at Korat Air Base in Thailand to find out more!

Hi CPT Gwendolyn and CPT Valam! How are you feeling about being first time participants at XCT?

CPT Gwendolyn: I am very excited to participate in XCT 23! Aside from getting to put my training to the test, I am also looking forward to being able to interact with participants from the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) and United States Air Force (USAF) and learn from their best practices as well.

CPT Valam: I am looking forward to being able to lead the personnel from my squadron in a variety of challenging missions. Getting an opportunity like this in a multi-lateral large force employment exercise like XCT 23 is something that I have been looking forward to since arriving in Thailand.

It’s great to see the both of you pumped up for the rest of the exercise! Could you share how training during XCT 23 is different from back home in Singapore?

CPT Gwendolyn: XCT 23 is a valuable platform for us to hone our skills as fighter pilots, especially because of the number of personnel and assets involved in the missions.

CPT Valam: As the airspace available for training at XCT 23 is much larger than what we have in Singapore, we are also able to fully test the capabilities of our aircraft. Furthermore, we get to train alongside aircrew from the other participating air forces, and this gives us the ability to learn about their best practices as well.

CPT Gwendolyn: To me, being able to strengthen our relationships with our foreign counterparts is crucial as well. The friendship that we forge as junior officers will continue to grow as we rise through the ranks in our careers, despite being from different countries. This will be beneficial if we do interact again in the future as senior commanders.

What is a goal that you’ve set for yourself to achieve during XCT 23?

CPT Gwendolyn: As a two-ship flight lead during XCT 23, I am not only responsible for my own safety, but also that of my wingman. This is made more challenging by the number of aircraft involved in the missions during the exercise.

My goal is to ensure that both my wingman and me are able to complete our missions successfully and safely. The training that I’ve gone through in Singapore has prepared me to operate in such scenarios, and XCT 23 is the time for me to prove that we have what it takes to get the job done.

What is something that you hope to be able to learn from the exercise?

CPT Valam: Personally, I hope to be able to hone my own skills as a fighter pilot, while also strengthen the relationship that I had build with my counterparts from the RTAF and USAF, both through flying training and interactions on the ground.

I also hope to be able to learn more from the other RSAF participants, so that I can better integrate my skills and sharpen my abilities to contribute to the RSAF’s overall operations.

Thank you both for giving us a glimpse into what it’s like being in XCT 23 as a first time participant! Here’s wishing you the best for the rest of the exercise!